Track assemblies for vehicles such as bulldozers and tanks are well-known. Typically, each track is formed into an endless belt by a number of individual track segments which are connected to one another. The track is mounted about a number of drive sprockets which receive power from the vehicle engine through a transverse extending axle connected to the sprockets. The sprocket teeth engage the track segments in order to rotate the track.
For example, in U.S. Pat. No. 2,803,504 by Lynch there is disclosed a segmented drive track in which each track segment is connected together by a rubberized tension band and the track is driven by a sprocket which engages a number of guides which extend inward from the track segments.
Other vehicle drive assemblies have also been disclosed. In U.S. Pat. No. 534,442 by Linn, there is disclosed a vehicle drive mechanism which includes a number of balls contained in an endless conduit and which are driven through the conduit by a scalloped drive sprocket so as to drive the vehicle when the balls engage the underlying ground or a track.
Endless drive assemblies including a number of balls which are mounted to an endless cable and which engage a sprocket having pockets or recesses located about its circumference, have been disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 145,447 by Reigart; 4,214,488, and 4,315,751 by Conrad; 3,091,030 and 3,041,887 both by Zumbrunnen; and 636,138 by Hatfield.
Other endless belt drive assemblies having balls mounted to a cable include U.S. Pat. Nos. 332,672 by Mellette et al; 620,169 by Paulson; and 3,517,565 by Smith.
Additional endless belt drive assemblies are disclosed in Pat. No. 1,756,136 by Ryther, which pertains to a conveyor chain which is formed by a number of chain segments which are connected together by coupling devices which engage the recesses of a drive sprocket.
In Berg, U.S. Pat. No. 3,748,917 there is disclosed a transmission belt system including a number of cogged wheels which engage pin elements which are attached to and extend perpendicularly from a supporting endless cable. In a similar manner, Wenborne, in U.S. Pat. No. 268,965 discloses a drive assembly including a number of disc elements which are attached to and extend perpendicularly from an endless belt and which engage the teeth of a sprocket.
Another drive assembly is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 276,619 by Mills, which discloses a number of expanded sleeve elements which are secured to a rope and extend perpendicularly therefrom to engage a sprocket.